I am a musician. Although i don’t study music, I spend one night a week playing in a community brass band. Along with being a musician comes a lot of fear. For example, last week the girl I sit next to (I will call her R) was about to play a solo that she has in one of the pieces. She leaned in to me and said, “Trudy, I’m scared”. I asked her why she should possibly be scared and she said, “I’m scared I won’t be good enough.” She was afraid because that night was the first of a new player in the band.  This new member plays the same instrument and consequently the same music as us but she happens to be studying music at university and is obviously very accomplished on her instrument. Basically R was afraid that she wouldn’t play the solo good enough and the conductor would give the solo to the new and more accomplished player, eventhough R had played the solo well about 20 times.  This situation made me question the purpose of fear. Why is it that we fear things that can’t do us any physical harm? Does fear really do us any good?... Read More

Do you ever walk down the street and wonder about all the people walking past you? Why are they all here and where have they come from? What is their life story? I often do. I try to figure people out in my head; what makes them tick? Each person is different and that’s what makes it exciting. Thinking about other people and watching them live their lives is something i do to escape from the reality of my own life. I use it as a technique to unwind and release myself from anything that troubles my mind. Occupying my mind with something totally unrelated to my own life, is surprisingly refreshing. But why?... Read More